


Thief

by zimothy (orphan_account)



Series: Random Short Stories [4]
Category: X-Men: First Class (2011) - Fandom
Genre: Domestic, Fluff, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-02-25
Updated: 2012-02-25
Packaged: 2017-10-31 17:29:04
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 726
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/346620
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/zimothy
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Erik has a weird habit of sticking everything he touches into his pockets, from years of moving from place to place very quickly and forgetting things behind. Charles is amused by this and a tad bit annoyed when he does laundry.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Thief

 

At first, Charles just thinks he’s being rather absent-minded when he misplaces a pocketful of change that he’d stuck on the countertop one night. Of course, its only the third day since Erik moved into Charles’ flat, and they’re still learning how to work around one another - thus he doesn’t become suspicious until doing Erik’s laundry for the first time on Saturday morning.

Really, it would be endearing if it weren’t for the fact that, after three months, Charles has put a basket on top of the dryer for all the things he finds in Erik’s pockets every load. It takes him an extra ten minutes to wash the other man’s clothes because he’s got to turn out every pocket on each pair of pants, as well as any button-down shirts and every jacket. Once he’s done with that and Erik’s clothes have been cleaned and put away, Charles ends up taking the basket back into the flat and replacing all of the filched items to their original positions.

It takes Charles another month and a half to actually confront Erik about it when his boyfriend’s curled up on the couch with a book and Charles stomps into the living room with a basket of trinkets he’s divested from the other man’s clothes.

“Erik, have you considered counseling for kleptomania?” Charles asked, his voice light and teasing. Erik glanced up from his book to peer at the basket in Charles’ hand.

“Hm? What’s that?”

Charles was quick to take a seat next to Erik, thrusting the basket towards him. “These came from your pockets. All of this in one load worth of clothes.”

Erik dog eared the page in his book and let Charles hand him the basket, peering at it incredulously. “You know, it really didn’t seem like much at the time…” He muttered, reaching and picking out a small screwdriver. “But, I’m not stealing, if that’s what you think.”

Charles snorted, “So then why do I have to check your pockets every time I do the wash?”

Erik set the screwdriver down, shrugging sheepishly. “Well.” He shook the basket. “The screwdriver was because your spectacles were getting a little loose so I thought to tighten them. Must have pocketed it and forgotten.”

He pulled out another item. “Cough drops - I found them in the medicine cabinet and wanted to put a couple in the night stand because you’d told me your throat was feeling a bit sore last week. The spoon was under the couch, I must’ve forgotten to put it in the kitchen. The breath mint was from when we had italian the other night - I know you hate kissing me when I’ve had too much garlic. The spare key I’d meant to put into your bag because you forget yours sometimes when you’re late for work….”

As Erik continued listing off each item and why, Charles began to feel worse and worse about getting so irritated at Erik for having left them in his pockets. He sighed, taking the basket from Erik and setting it aside.

“So then why do you pocket everything? Surely you could just leave it somewhere for me to find?”

Erik gave another weak shrug, pointedly looking anywhere but at Charles. “I moved around a lot when I was a child. I just got in the habit of keeping things on me so I didn’t forget them or lose them. I’ve lost too many things in my life, I suppose.”

Charles pursed his lips, sighing dramatically and scooting forward to give Erik a quick peck on the mouth.

“Darling, I doubt you’re going to be leaving any time soon. Best if you lost that habit before I lose my head. I’m not sure I’ll enjoy being fifty years old and still picking spoons and extra change from your pockets.”

The implications in his words seemed to strike a chord, because Erik glanced up at Charles quickly. A myriad of expressions flickered in his eyes before he grinned brightly, reaching forward to drag Charles forward and shower his face in short kisses.

Charles grinned, kissing back to the best of his ability and then climbing into Erik’s lap to snuggle up to him.

“Although, I much prefer absentmindedness to kleptomania. You’ve already stolen my heart, no need to steal my parking meter money.”

Erik laughed and kissed him again.


End file.
